My Gulf Coast Property Real Estate Blog

Overview

2017 was a banner year for condo sales on Island Estates. There were 129 units sold which is the second highest number in the past 10 years. Only in 2015, with 135 sales, were there more condo sales. The average sale price of $350,000, was also the highest it has been in recent history and was 13% higher than 2016. Average days on market was 138 days, or a relatively low 4 and 1/2 months.

Island Estates Condo Sales Trends By Year

As shown in the graph below, the average condo sale in 2017 on Island Estates went for $350,000. This represents an upward trend of almost 8% percent per year since 2012.

What Price Points Are Selling The Most?

Almost half of the condos sold on Island Estates in 2017 ranged in price between $250,000 and $500,000. About a quarter of the sales were under $250,000, and only about 20% were over half a million dollars.

Overview

2017 was a busy year for real estate on Indian Rocks Beach. There were 139 condo sales during 2017 which is the highest number in the last 10 years. The average sale price for an Indian Rocks Beach condo in 2017 was $432,000 which is about on par with the $444,000 average in 2016. With low inventory, average days on market was only 83 days, or less than 3 months. This is less than half the 190 days it took back in just 2014. Condo sales prices averaged 97% of the listing price, again reflecting the high demand and low inventory of condos in Indian Rocks Beach.

See all the details below or give me a call at 727-515-1418 if you have any questions, or if I can help in any way.

Indian Rocks Beach Condo Sales Trends By Year

As shown in the graph below, the average price for an Indian Rocks Beach condo was $432,000 in 2017. This is about 3% lower than last year, but almost 20% higher than it was in 2015.

How Long Did It Take To Sell?

The average Indian Rocks Beach condo sold in a very short 83 days, or less than 3 months. Back in 2014 it was a little over 6 months to sell an IRB condo. We are seeing sustained buyer demand, and low inventories in all of...

Overview

2017 was a busy year or year for real estate and condos on Sand Key. There were a total of 172 condos sold for an average price of $569,000. The $569,000 mark is the highest average price in recent history. Due to low inventory, the average days on market was just 139 days. The average sale price was a historically high 97% of the list price. Sand Key condo sales represented 38% of all the sales in the Clearwater Beach 33767 zip code in 2017.

Sand Key Condo Sales Trends By Year

As shown in the graph below, the average sale price for condos on Sand Key has risen to almost $569,000 in 2017. This is on par with the $562,000 average in 2016 but almost 10% higher than 2015 price of $522,000 just two years ago.

How Long Did It Take To Sell?

Sand Key condos had an average time on market of just 139 days in 2017 or just a little under five months. As you can see in the graph below this is much lower than it was just a few years ago, indicating high demand.

Overview

2017 was a banner year for condo sales on Clearwater Beach with 437 condos sold. This is almost 20% higher than the 366 sales in 2016, and also about 20% higher than the historical average. The average sale price was just over $500,000. Condos and townhomes represented over 80% of the property sales in Clearwater Beach in 2017 with single family homes at only about 15% of the market.

Sales by Area

Condo sales were about evenly split between Sand Key with 38% of the sales, and Clearwater Beach Proper with 36% of the sales. Island Estates had 113 condo sales or about a quarter of the condo sales volume.

Clearwater Beach Condo Sales Trends by Year

The average sale price for a condo on Clearwater Beach rose dramatically from 2012 to 2015 but has leveled out over the last two years. The average condo sale price in 2017 was just over $500,000. The beachfront condos had the highest average sale price at $642,000 with Intracoastal condos averaging about a third less expensive at $445,000.

Treasure Island Things to Do

By Jami McAfee

When my husband and I first moved to Treasure Island, we did a lot of exploring! We have a four legged baby, or dog Lady, and we wanted to find some pet friendly beaches we could take her to. One day when we were at the southernmost point of Treasure Island, we found a beautiful small beach, right beside Land’s End Condo. There were a few people there with their dogs, several people had pulled up by boat and anchored. No one had their dogs on leashes, but all got along and were playing on the beach. We were happy to find such a beautiful beach we could take our dog to! Be sure to bring poop bags, as they are not provided.

It’s a quiet beach and the water is always super clear, but we have found that when the tide is up, it is non-existent, so be sure to go when the tide is down! There is also a boardwalk that stretches around the bend to the Gulf, which is great to take a stroll on, just be careful during the summer, it gets very hot. This is by far our favorite beach to take our dog to. We love the Honeymoon Island and Fort De Sotos’s dog beaches as well, but sometimes they are way too busy, and it makes our dog nervous!

Map of...

Gulfport Florida Things to Do

Pasadena Yacht and Country Club

Pasadena Yacht and Country Club is located across Boca Ciega Bay from the Gulf Beaches and just minutes from downtown St Petersburg. The history of this landmark facility dates back to 1924. The club and homes are surrounded by 300 acres of sub-tropical landscaping. The residents and members enjoy a sense of community in an exclusive, luxurious environment. The golf course is open to guests. This 18 hole championship golf course was designed by Wayne Stiles and Walter Hagen was the first golf pro at PYCC.

Pasadena Yacht and Country Club is a private club with first-class amenities which include golf, a health club, a Junior Olympic swimming pool, a marina 82 with boat slips, tennis courts and three dining areas. Adult and junior golf, swim & tennis programs are offered throughout the year.

There is a la carte dining at the Club, as well as a Champagne Sunday brunch and holiday brunch celebrations. There is a Ladies Luncheon and Fashion Show and live music every Friday evening. Some of the other social events include book clubs, bridge, a wine society, chefs table, date night with kid care, poolside movie theater and private trips to broadway shows in Tampa.

Sand Key Things To Do

Sand Key Park

Sand Key Park is absolutely one of our very favorite parks! It has a great beach, fishing piers, a picnic area, nature trails, a playground and a dog park!

Location

The park is located on the very northern tip of Sand Key at 1060 Gulf Blvd., Clearwater, FL 33767

Things to Do

The northern part of the park fronts Clearwater Pass which connects Clearwater Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico. You can look out over Clearwater Pass and watch the boats go by or drop your line in the water for some fun fishing. There are several fishing piers to choose from and a free parking area that is just for the fishing area. It’s a great view if you just want to sit and watch, and you might even see a dolphin swim by!

The western side of the park is beautiful white sand beaches where you can walk, lay out your towel, or rent an umbrella or cabana. The eastern side is the park area, complete with pavilions, picnic tables, grills and restrooms. There is also a children’s playground and a fenced dog area. We have seen some beautiful weddings on the beach - what a memory to have!

Madeira Beach Things To Do

Johns Pass

Johns Pass is located on the southern end of Madeira Beach at 12901 Gulf Blvd Madeira Beach, FL 33708. Its a fun place to hang out or have dinner or drinks. There are a number of waterside restaurants and bars, and a wide variety of shops. There is also a man-made beach for relaxing and there is some great fishing right off the shores. Its been said that Johns Pass is the #1 tourist attraction in Pinellas County. We like to have a casual dinner at one of the waterside restaurants, and then take a stroll on the boardwalk, and check out what's new in some of our favorite shops.

Restaurants & Bars

There are several restaurants with water views. One of our favorites is the The Hut Bar and Grill. They mostly serve "bar food" but what we like about it is that you can sit outside on the dock and have great views of the harbor. You almost always see pelicans and most of the time we've seen a dolphin or two surfacing as they go through the channel. The Hut also has 30 different beers on tap and a wide selection of cocktails and frozen drinks. Bubba Gumps is upstairs with lots of seafood selections, Hooters is also upstairs with their versions of bar food. The Hungry Fisherman has waterside dining with lots of fried and broiled fish/seafood selections....

Boating and Yachting in Pinellas County

Boating in Gulfport, St Petersburg Florida and Boca Ciega Bay

Boca Ciega Bay is bordered by the cities of Gulfport and St. Petersburg and many boat and yacht owners have the pleasure of keeping their boats and yachts either in front of their homes and condos whiles others use the numerous, closely located public and private marinas or dry storage areas to launch. Yacht basins and marinas located on Boca Ciega Bay offer some of the most protected marinas. Boat owners can either cruise the protected water of the Intracoastal Waterway and visit the many waterfront restaurants or go and spend the evening in St Petersburg, Clearwater or Tampa and stay the night. For those seeking a longer passage Captiva island, Cabbage Key and Key West are some wonderful options.

The Bay is only a couple of nautical miles from the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf beaches offering easy access to west Florida's best cruising destinations. Boat and yacht owners can spend the day on Shell Key or Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge and State Park which was established in 1974 for the protection of migratory birds and has had a colorful military past. Five artillery batteries from historic Fort Dade, in service from 1898 until 1923 are located on the island. Egmont Key offers excellent diving and snorkeling experiences and the original lighthouse on the Island is still used for navigation today.

Boca Ciega Bay holds an abundant amount of fish due to the number of keys and islands. These include Little Bird Key, Dog Leg Key,...

Seminole - Earth Fare

A new market is in town, and it is AMAZING! Earth Fare opened in October 2016 at: 7774 113th ST N, Seminole Fl 33772 and it is definitely something you want to check out. We had the pleasure of having lunch there today for their Wednesday special which is $5.oo sushi, and it was super fresh and so good! They make all their sushi there, and if there is something you want but do not see it, let them know and they will make it for you! We used to get sushi from Publix, and Earth Fare’s was leaps and bounds better. They also have a special on Tuesday’s which is two slices of pizza for $4.00. The pizza looked delicious and they were very generous slices. So we will be back to check that out for sure.

We did not actually do any grocery shopping today, but did walk around a couple of times and we were impressed. There was an olive bar, salad bar, fresh soups, cookies by the pound, large juice bar, nice selection of pre-prepared meals, huge wall of different spices and candies, and a bakery that smelt so delightful. There was also a wide variety of meats and seafood, and a tasty selection of cheeses and the fruits and vegetables we all bright and colorful and looked fresh.

Where Should You Start Your Design Plan?

(Provided by Debbie Wallace of Debbie Wallace Designs)The day has finally come. You are in your new home your boxes are all unpacked, you have everything organized and you have your furniture pieces in place that you decided to keep. Now for the fun part! It's time to execute your design plan. If you are in a position to hire a professional Interior Designer we can help you achieve your design dreams!! An added bonus is that we can often save you money by preventing costly mistakes. If it's just not in your budget to hire a professional, the following will help you wade through all of the decisions you will need to make.

Almost every Interior Designer will tell you to work from the bottom up, so the first thing you should address is your flooring. If what you have isn't what you want it is best to address this first. It's much easier to change flooring before there is a house full of furniture. Flooring will set the tone for everything else you are trying accomplish. The color and style of your flooring will help drive the design plan. Make sure you select flooring appropriate to your family needs. For example, smooth dark wood flooring and large dogs don't mix. There nails will leave scratch marks. Lighter textured wood or tile may be a better option. Carpeting while relatively inexpensive is not great with young children. It may be cost effective to start with but you will be replacing it much sooner. So hard surfaces such as tile, laminate, or wood will last much longer and will cost less in the long run. You may need to wait a little...

Incorporating Your Furniture and Treasures in to Your New Home

The time has finally arrived, you are going to move into your new home! You are so excited, yet how do you decide what furniture to keep and what should you replace? You also have a few items like your "Grandmothers needlepoint" that you just aren't sure are going to fit in your new homes design plan. So many decisions to make all at once and you don't want to discard your treasures, but you also don't want to feel like you are bringing your "old" house into your new one. How can I sort through all of this, you ask yourself?

It really isn't as hard as it seems! I have been able to guide hundreds of clients through the process over the years. The first few things you must decide are: what is my budget for replacing items, do the furniture pieces I want to bring fit in the new space, do they work with the design plan for my new home, and what are the treasures I just have to keep.

To begin with, if you aren't changing your style, the process is much easier. If it fits your new home it goes with you. It gets a little more difficult if you plan on transitioning from one style to another. Most people can't afford to get rid of all their furniture and accessories and start over. So, let's say you are changing from traditional to a coastal look, how do you decide what to bring?

It is always a good idea, if financially possible, to change your anchor pieces if possible. An interior designer can be a tremendous asset as you make these decisions. After all they don’t have any attachments to your things, so they can give you an...

Interior Design Via Organization And Planning

(Provided by Debbie Wallace of Debbie Wallace Designs)You have now settled in to your new home and there is still so much to do. You wonder how “will I ever finish unpacking and making my new home look just the way I want it to!” If you are like most of us you probably lived in your prior residence for years, so don't pressure yourself to finish it all in the first few weeks or months. If you sorted and discarded things before you moved the process of organizing is much easier. Also, it probably isn't realistic to think your design ideas will be completed immediately either. So, as we will discuss, the next few steps you take in this process are crucial.

We are going to look at this from two angles first from the organizational stand point and then from the design aspect. What does organization have to do with good Interior Design you ask? The short answer, have you ever seen an attractive interior design plan with clutter? There are little tricks you can add to keep your home attractive and clutter free. So, this month we will tackle the organization and next month the integration of your new design plan.

Organization comes naturally to some, but I have learned through years of working with clients not everyone can accomplish it without some suggestions. When it comes to organization, the key is everything...

Hardwood Floors for Florida

(Provided by Jessica Peters of Flooring Options by Carpet One)While flooring styles change year to year it seems my customers consistently desire the same thing; hardwood! And why not? It is a timeless look that gives you an oh-so-cozy feeling when you walk through your front door and get that comforting feeling of returning to your beautiful home. Also, it greatly helps the resale factor making it a great investment! See this article at the Money http://time.com/money/3841734/wood-laminate-flooring-home-value/

The question, is hardwood what’s best for your lifestyle?

When buying hardwood there are certain factors that come into play when your decision in which hardwood is best for you. Things you want to ask about and understand is what species is the hardwood? What’s the hardness level? What finish is used on this? Most importantly, what is the moisture reading of my floor and is the installer going to protect my new flooring from the Florida moisture issues? Most people have seen oak hardwood floors, which are durable having a mid-range hardness level (around 1300 on the Janka rating scale) ...

Choosing a Design Style for Your Home

Are you facing the challenge of moving to a new home and trying to decide what design style you would like? You ask yourself, do I like Traditional, Modern, Coastal, or French country? There are seemingly endless options and you are just not sure how to choose what will make your new space feel like home. Maybe there are things you just have to keep, and aren't sure how to incorporate them into your new home. Rest assured you are not alone these design challenges are faced by most people when they move. However there are a few tricks that can help you not only choose your new style but that will also help you to execute your design plan.

Here are some tips I recommend to my clients who haven't identified there "design personality". If possible even before you purchase your new home narrowing down your personal tastes will help you execute the best design plan. For example if you are modern and you select a very traditional home, it is going to be much more difficult and expensive to accomplish a modern interior. So how then do you figure what that perfect design is?

A great place to start is by creating a design scrap book. This can be accomplished a few ways. If you are a virtual person then the internet offers an endless amount of images to choose from. Websites such as Houzze and Pinterest are great resources to start a virtual scrapbook of design ideas. You can also use magazines...

Belleair Coffee Company

The Belleair Coffee Company recently opened in Belleair Fl at 100 Indian Rocks Road near West Bay Dr. They serve a variety of coffee drinks like espresso, latte, cappuccino, americano, and mocha coffees. Their website says they use "organic, sustainable products whenever possible because, hey, we live on this planet, too! " We were greeted with a warm reception when we entered.

They also have a nice variety of danishes, scones, cakes, turnovers as well as an egg sandwich and a delicious quiche. They advertise using cage-free eggs and nitrate free bacon.

The service was friendly and fast the morning we were there. The coffee came in a nice ceramic mug, and was steaming hot. It is a nice surrounding and they had lots of different seating options.

The shop is just 3 miles from the condos on Sand Key, so if you live in that area you might want to give it a try.

Clear Sky Beachside Cafe

The Clear Sky Cafe is located in the heart of Clearwater Beach next door to the Sandpearl Residences condos and the Mandalay Beach Club condos. It is a wonderful place to go for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can sit inside in your choice of comfortable booths, or sit in the covered patio area. For lunch and dinner there is usually a guitarist playing in the outdoor patio area.

They have lots of breakfast choices which range from lite items to a full meal. You can get granola, oatmeal or fresh fruit or choose a more classic egg dish with potatoes or pancakes. They have a wide selection of "Bennies" which range from classic eggs benedict to seafood bennies like a Maryland Crab Bennie, or a Lobster Brie Bennie. The Scramblers are great too where they mix eggs with a variety of vegetables and meats, or you can go vegetarian.

The lunch and dinner menu is quite expansive too. They have a wide variety of pasta dishes, with chicken, vegetables, fish, shrimp, or lobster choices. They have lots of specialty burgers. One of our favorite things is to share a couple of their "small meals" and appetizers. They also have salads, soups, pizzas, paninis, sandwitches, wraps, and flatbreads to choose from.

O'Maddy's Bar & Grill

O'Maddy's Bar & Grill is a hoppin spot on Shore Drive in Gulfport with great food and live entertainment. It is located at 5405 Shore Blvd S, St Petersburg, FL 33707 just across the street from the pier.

It's a lively place with live music and there is always a buzz of activity. It looks like a casual "beach restaurant" but it has a surprisingly varied menu. They have a large selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and main courses. You can get a burger, pasta, steak, chicken or seafood.

They have some really interesting seafood dishes like:

Chef Wade's Crab Cake Dinner, which is two true Maryland style backfin lump and claw meat cakes, pan seared and served with hollandaise. Or Olivia's Crab Crusted Atlantic Salmon which has crab cake crusted fresh pan seared Atlantic Salmon with hollandaise and asparagus. Or if you are lucky and the tuna hasn't sold out you might try Victoria's Tempura Tuna Nori wrapped tempura fried fresh Ahi Tuna with Sriracha mayo, wasabi mayo and sweet soy drizzle, served with choice of side. Yum!

They have live entertainment every evening. It's a really fun place to have dinner and drinks, hang out and listen to the music and enjoy the Gulf breezes. Check out their menu at the O'Maddy's website...

Keegan's Seafood Grille

Written by Heloise Povey, Indian Rocks Beach / Indian Shores Real Estate Specialist.You’ve decided to come to Indian Rocks Beach, Florida for a day, a week, a month...or a lifetime! Excellent decision #1. With easy access to miles of white sandy beaches and crystal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Indian Rocks Beach is a wonderful community made up of charming beach cottages, single family homes, and beachfront/waterfront condos. So now you are here...you have decided you want to go out to eat! Excellent decision #2. IRB as it is affectionately referred to by the locals (of which I am one), has an array of fantastic restaurants to suit every palate. There is a saying that if you are looking to eat at a great place…”go where the locals go”. And that would mean eating at Keegan’s Seafood Grille.

Located in a small shopping strip at the corner of Gulf Blvd and 15th Ave you will find a casual setting, delicious fresh food, friendly staff and consistently great quality service. Known for its fresh seafood catches (you are at the beach of course), Keegan’s...

Indian Shores Coffee Company

If you are looking for some fresh brewed organic coffee near the beach, this is the place! Indian Shores Coffee Shop is located at 19221 Gulf Blvd Indian Rocks Beach FL 33785 and is a must try! If coffee is not your thing, they also have some delicious food for breakfast and lunch.

When you walk into Indian Shores Coffee Shop it is a relaxed, laid back atmosphere with that wonderful coffee smell. I love the eclectic decor and the staff was super friendly. There are a few places to sit and relax on the inside, as well as a few tables on their outside screened patio. When I had the pleasure of going I enjoyed an Apple muffin, with a glass of orange juice and my father enjoyed a cup of coffee with their muffin special of the day, which was the Maui Morning muffin. Both muffins were wonderful and a nice size, we probably could have split one and been satisfied!

Several things on their menu looked wonderful, and when I go back next time I will definitely try. They have a breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese and your choice of bacon or ham on a chibata bread that sounded good and for lunch they have hot panini sandwiches that looked yummy! I would want to try their chicken, bacon, swiss and ranch panini. Their danishes and muffins are on display by the register, and the blueberry muffin and cinnamon roll looked fabulous. There were several coffee's and lattes to choose from, and I have heard only good things about them. ( I myself am not a coffee drinker) My parents have been there several times, and from the reviews I have read, it's everyones favorite...